


Shaped by Our Thoughts

by mutents



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Mental Health Issues, Post Episode: s01e09 Queen of the Flowers, Schizophrenia, hints of suicide, written by an american
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-26
Updated: 2015-04-26
Packaged: 2018-03-25 20:15:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3823309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mutents/pseuds/mutents
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There was something about Mrs. Ross that Jack desperately wanted to shake.</p><p>Of course, that meant it was the only thought he had on his mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shaped by Our Thoughts

**Author's Note:**

> This is something I've been kicking around since I rewatched "Queen of the Flowers". There was something about Jack's reaction to Jane's mother's mental issues that resonated with me.

Jack Robinson didn't enjoy being alone with his thoughts.

That usually wasn't much of an issue; he more often then not, had a case to keep his thoughts occupied. Unfortunately, he'd signed off on the last of the Pace cases paperwork earlier in the morning. It also didn't help that he was currently alone in the station. It was nearing 1, and all of the constabulary were on lunch. Even Collins had left, giving Jack a shy smile as he informed the Detective Inspector of his lunch date. Usually the other man stayed at the station, providing Jack with company if not conversation. But Jack couldn't begrudge either his friend or Ms. Williams; she'd lost a friend, after all.

But even when he was alone, and without a case, his thoughts would turn to the war. Jack had more or less accepted the constant companionship of such a line of thinking, as awful as it was. Very rarely didn't he find himself ruminating on his childhood.

He preferred it that way.

* * *

He hadn't had a bad childhood. In fact, for the first seven years, he'd been a perfectly normal boy with a perfectly normal family. He had two sisters; elder Agatha and the younger Margaret. His father worked at the docks, and his mother stayed at home. He often played with the other boys in Richmond, and was more than happy with his life.

When he turned seven, though, something... changed with his mother. She became quieter, and often moodier as well. Sometimes, he'd come in after school and he'd catch her muttering to herself. What she was saying was never clear, but he could sense that something was wrong. When he'd mentioned it to his father one evening while they were working on the roof, his father had gotten a far away look in his eyes and stayed silent.

It all came to a head when his mother came running outside on a Saturday, screaming for Jack to come inside, that she would protect him from the devil. Jack had been stunned into silence from his mother's words, but hadn't failed to notice that the other boys in the neighborhood all took a step away from him. She had rushed to where he was standing in the road, having been in the middle of a game of football with his friends. She'd dragged him back to the house, all the while muttering about the devil. When she'd finally gotten him inside, she'd quickly locked the door before pushing Jack upstairs into his bedroom.

He'd tried to explain to his mother that she couldn't lock the door, because neither his sisters nor his father were home yet. They wouldn't be able to get in. She'd simply given him a heartbroken look and murmured, "It's to late, Jacky... They've been taken."

He'd first started crying, which his mother had reacted as any mother would; she'd tried to comfort him. It had worked marginally well, but after the tears had finished, he just sat in stony silence. But, after an hour in that room, with the door locked downstairs, he'd heard someone banging on the door. The sound of his fathers voice quickly followed the noise. "Come on Hattie, unlock the door, dear!"

"Go away, you demon!" His mother had screamed, causing Jack to jump. He'd never heard his mother scream before - in fact, neither of his parents were very prone to raising their voices. "Don't listen to that voice, Jacky," his mother had whispered, clutching his face between her two hands. "It's not my Lowell, I can tell you that. I know my Lowell, and that's not him."

Jack had nodded, trying to stay strong. If his father was gone, that meant Jack was the man of the house. He'd need to be strong for his mother. He found that train of thought just made him want to cry again.

After several more shouts from the man who sounded like his father, it had gone silent downstairs. Then, their had been the distinct sound of a window breaking, and a man rushing up the stairs. His father had thrown open the door before Jack or his mother could move. He had wrapped his arms around Jack before he said anything, placing a light kiss on his sons head.

Letting go of his son, Lowell had stood and looked at his wife. "Hattie..." He'd murmured, realizing she still didn't know that it was actually her husband standing before her.

"Get back! Get away from him, you can't have him, he's a good boy and he's mine!" She'd screamed, rushing at her husband. Jack's father had wrapped his arms around his wife's arms and body, preventing her from sticking at him, and taken her downstairs. Jack hadn't been sure what to do, but decided that perhaps staying upstairs was the best course of action.

When the sound of glass breaking reached his ears, he realized he was right.

* * *

Jack shook his head, returning his thoughts to the present. Without thought, he reached for the phone on his desk, picking it up and putting it to his ear while his finger dialed the familiar number.

"Hello?" The voice of his father said, picking up the phone after several rings.

"Hello, father."

"Jacky, my boy! How are you? Has that Miss Fisher been giving you more trouble? I hope she has; seems like a spitfire, that one. Reminds me of your mother."

"She has," Jack replied, a sad smile crossing his face that he was glad his father couldn't see. "Just finished a case with her, actually."

"Good, good... You should marry that girl, Jacky. I know you've got Rosie, and all, but this Phryne seems much more your speed."

"Yes, thank you father," Jack chuckled. His father had never liked Rosie; perhaps he had seen something that Jack had missed. "Would it be alright if I stopped by this evening, father?" Jack asked, trying to steer the conversation away from the subject of Phryne and Rosie.

"Of course, Jack. This old house gets awful quiet late a night now that you and your sisters are gone."

"I know father," Jack murmured, his own thoughts.

"Right. Good. I'll see you for dinner, then. And Jacky?"

"Yes father?"

"Be safe, alright my boy?"

"Of course, father."

**Author's Note:**

> It's worth noting that I just finished season one of my rewatch. So, if there's any canon I'm forgetting from season two, I apologize immensely and would very much appreciate being called out on it.
> 
> Also, I know that it would be impossible for Jack to be alone in a police station. It's a _police station_. But please, suspend your disbelief briefly for the sake of angst.


End file.
